Legislative battles are expected in many states

NEW YORK — On each side of the abortion debate, legislators and activists emboldened by recent political developments plan to push aggressively in many states this year for bills high on their wish lists: either seeking to impose neartotal bans on abortion or guaranteeing women’s access to the procedure.

For abortion opponents, many of whom will rally Friday at the annual March for Life in Washington, there’s a surge of optimism that sweeping abortion bans might have a chance of prevailing in the reconfigured U.S. Supreme Court that includes Donald Trump’s appointees Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. Legislators in at least four states — Ohio, Kentucky, Missouri and South Carolina — are expected to consider bills that would ban abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected.

In a recent speech, New York’s Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Trump’s nominees have “already announced their intention to impose their morality on the nation and roll back Roe v. Wade.”

Conversely, results of the midterm elections buoyed supporters of abortion rights in several states, including New York, Rhode Island, Maryland and New Mexico. Abortionrights groups there are now hopeful that lawmakers will pass bills aimed at protecting access to abortion even if the Supreme Court eventually reversed or weakened the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that established a nationwide right to abortion.

“With big electoral victories in state legislatures and governorships, many states are now primed to provide the last line of defense for a woman’s ability to control her body, life and future,” said Andrea Miller, president of the National Institute for Reproductive Health.